This invention relates generally to farm equipment used in handling of bales of hay and the like, and more particularly to a vehicle mounted loader used in handling large round bales of hay.
Recently, the farming industry has been replacing production of the well-known small rectangular bale of hay with large cylindrical bales of hay using wire ties which are circumferential. The round bales are relatively large, in both diameter and length, and may have considerable weight. After making them, a baler normally leaves them laying on their cylindrical sides. These bales cannot be easily manipulated by hand or easily transported from the field. The present invention relates to means whereby such large cylindrical bales may be handled and transported.
Numerous devices have been developed for the handling of these large round bales of hay. Generally, such devices are of two basic types: the trailer type; and the truck-bed type.
The trailer type of bale lift and transporter is generally a trailer frame pulled behind a tractor or the like. The frame generally includes means for lifting the bale onto the trailer frame and holding it there. Several types of lift means have been developed including ones which spear the bale and ones which lift the bale upon a fork or similar structure. While such trailer devices have been relatively successful, they suffer from the inherent problem of requiring the farmer to have an extra piece of equipment, of considerable size, which can be both expensive and space consuming.
Numerous truck-bed bale lift devices have been developed to generally overcome these latter problems. Typically, such devices comprise racks which are mounted upon the bed of a truck. The devices generally include a hydraulic lift means, comprising either a spear which impales the bale or a fork lift type mechanism, which is lowered over the side or rear end of the truck to engage the bale and then lift it upon the truck bed. Such devices are generally characterized by the feature that the rack is mounted upon an upper face of the truck bed, and rests thereon. Thus, even when hay bales are not being transported, the rack structure generally covers the bed of the truck, preventing it from being used for other purposes. Further, in many such devices the truck bed is so occupied by the presence of the rack and lift assembly that there is only room for one bale on the truck at a time. Also, with such devices, the bale may come in contact with many of the moving parts of the rack and lift assembly. The problem with this is that if grease is used on moving parts of the assembly it may be transmitted to the hay and cause partial contamination thereof; also, the hay may interfere with smooth operation of the assembly.
The instant invention provides a novel round bale mover having mechanical structure advantages not disclosed in prior bale loading devices.